The experience of rituximab therapy in patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus: the preliminary results of two-center cohort study

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an immunopathological disease which is characterized by a poor prognosis. Biologics applied in the disease treatment allow reducing the corticosteroid toxicity and controlling the disease.
Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab therapy in children with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Material and methods. The retrospective study included data of 48 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with rituximab. Systemic lupus erythematosus was diagnosed based on the SLICC classification criteria. Patients were assessed at baseline disease status, at the time of rituximab initiation and follow-up. The indications for the rituximab were: lupus nephritis, CNS involvement, and hematological involvement resistant to the standard therapy, and in cases of severe corticosteroid toxicity.
Results. During rituximab therapy the significant decrease of the SELENA–SLEDAI activity index was observed. There was a significant decrease of the level of antibodies against dsDNA, normalization of the levels of hemoglobin, ESR, complement C4. The proportion of patients with cytopenia decreased up to their complete absence in patients receiving therapy for three years. The number of patients with active lupus nephritis decreased from 16 at the time of rituximab initiation to 1 after 3 years of therapy. Significant dynamics of proteinuria and hematuria was noted, except for 1 patient. The daily dose of corticosteroids was reduced by 90% from baseline in patients treated for 3 years. Serious adverse events included three deaths in patients with high systemic lupus erythematosus activity with uncontrolled macrophage activation syndrome associated with infections. Various infectious complications, hypogammaglobulinemia, which required replacement therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin, were also recorded.
Conclusion. Rituximab can be considered as an option for the treatment of severe forms of systemic lupus erythematosus which are resistant to standard therapy. Further studies are required to evaluate efficacy and safety.

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